Key points to understand about Judaism:

The Torah is the central sacred text for Judaism.

1. “Torah” means both the Five Books of Moses and the whole body of Jewish teachings.
2. Jews engage in Torah study and interpretation to make the ancient text relevant to today.

Jewish law is a central part of Judaism and is interpreted in many ways.

1. Jewish law governs nearly all aspects of life for “observant Jews” -Jews who obey Jewish law.
2. The laws are reinterpreted continually over time.
3. Different communities relate to Jewish law in different ways.

The term “Israel” refers to both people and land.

1. “Israel” refers to the Jewish people as a whole.
2. Eretz Yisrael, “the land of Israel,” refers to the area that the Bible says God promised the Israelites.
3. The land of Israel is an important topic in prayer as well as a contemporary Jewish interest.

Jews are a diverse people.

1. Because Jews live in diaspora, they have absorbed lots of different cultures that they have lived among.
2. One prominent ethnic division is Ashkenazi/Sephardi.
3. Difference in religious practice is the other most prominent division.